Zürich Music

The city council of Zurich is planning a new intervention in the controversial set of plots in Geroldstrasse. As in the rest of the areas of opportunity along the train tracks, the planning will develop a clean slate plan, to proceed with the construction of a new macro building. In order to preserve the existing qualities of the site, 2/3 of the main plot are maintained, and the program is densified in order to maintain the essence of the site. The project aims to use the preexisting (infrastructures, views, connections) and provide with what is lacking (services, public space, fixed paths). Close to the train station the new building acts as a clustered gear, connecting the pedestrian path along the riverfront with the new boulevard, including the Geroldsgarten into the route.

A specific circulation-corridor concept is developed for the project. Today, a corridor typically acts as a link between spaces, corridors now appear in almost every building. Nevertheless, looking back into the past, the corridor used to be the biggest room in a house, since its function was not only to give access but also to provide an area for public life. In the Music school, many corridors are placed on top of each other and are connected by independent stairs. The prominent corridors create flexible areas on those multiple levels. The system lets the street to penetrate inside the building as the first layer of corridor, and with the openness, corridors encourage interaction. Several wells cut into the corridors, providing daylight and views between the levels.

Corridors are the voids that act as a link and as a space. Without these voids, the entire building loses its meaning, and the appearance of circulation remains just as the meaningless passage from one point to another. Without the void there would be no place for interaction, meeting or public indoor activities. The central space is a fixed element around which maximum flexibility is achieved. In addition to the corridor walls, only the horizontal slabs and the facades are structurally active which support the whole building.

Hardbrücke

A new music school in Zurich's industrial quarter.

Structural Concept

The central space is a fixed element around which maximum flexibility is achieved. In addition to the corridor walls, only the horizontal slabs and the facades are structurally active which support the whole building.

The city council of Zurich is planning a new intervention in the controversial set of plots in Geroldstrasse. As in the rest of the areas of opportunity along the train tracks, the planning will develop a clean slate plan, to proceed with the construction of a new macro building. In order to preserve the existing qualities of the site, 2/3 of the main plot are maintained, and the program is densified in order to maintain the essence of the site. The project aims to use the preexisting (infrastructures, views, connections) and provide with what is lacking (services, public space, fixed paths). Close to the train station the new building acts as a clustered gear, connecting the pedestrian path along the riverfront with the new boulevard, including the Geroldsgarten into the route.

A specific circulation-corridor concept is developed for the project. Today, a corridor typically acts as a link between spaces, corridors now appear in almost every building. Nevertheless, looking back into the past, the corridor used to be the biggest room in a house, since its function was not only to give access but also to provide an area for public life. In the Music school, many corridors are placed on top of each other and are connected by independent stairs. The prominent corridors create flexible areas on those multiple levels. The system lets the street to penetrate inside the building as the first layer of corridor, and with the openness, corridors encourage interaction. Several wells cut into the corridors, providing daylight and views between the levels.

Corridors are the voids that act as a link and as a space. Without these voids, the entire building loses its meaning, and the appearance of circulation remains just as the meaningless passage from one point to another. Without the void there would be no place for interaction, meeting or public indoor activities. The central space is a fixed element around which maximum flexibility is achieved. In addition to the corridor walls, only the horizontal slabs and the facades are structurally active which support the whole building.